


Nightmares

by UPlover



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti)
Genre: Angst, Boyfriends, Comfort, Confessions, Eddie Kaspbrak Loves Richie Tozier, IT Chapter Two Fix-It, Love, M/M, Nightmares, Post-IT Chapter Two (2019), Reddie, Reddie comfort, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, The Losers Club, pennywise - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:22:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23133871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UPlover/pseuds/UPlover
Summary: While the Losers are trying to enjoy a road trip, Richie is plagued with nightmares. Eddie begs for him to talk about what is bothering him.
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Kudos: 43





	Nightmares

Eddie followed the sound of crying, walking around the mazes of trees. The moment Mike had snapped at Richie about the issue of driving, Richie froze in terror after he had exploded, snapping at the group. Tears building up in the corners of his eyes, Richie ran off into the woods before everyone could witness him break down. 

Poor, Richie. Even when they were kids, he refused to be open about his emotions. However, he was comfortable with Eddie sitting by his side, holding him. Then he allowed himself to be open. Why wasn’t he doing so now?

“Richie?” Eddie called out. He didn’t like being alone in the woods, especially in the territory in which he had never been. Back when he was a kid, his mother refused him to ever be alone. The Losers had to show up at his house or she’d drive him to his destination. Even when he was old enough to drive she followed him. No, this was not the time to remember those memories. That was past and he had moved on.

They couldn’t hold up their road trip schedule. Well, technically they were behind. Mike was so easily distracted, making stops. Being trapped in Derry, he never went out and experienced the world.

“Richie, it’s Eddie! Can you please answer me?” Eddie asked again, his voice cracking as his head circled like an owl. How come tree branches always looked like they could reach out and grab you? Because one’s imagination was very active, that’s why.

Finally, he found Richie. His heart broke in two. The man was sitting on a rock, his head in his hands, crying. The poor man hadn’t had any sleep in two days. Slowly, walking up behind him, Eddie slid his hands over his back. He hugged him closely, lying his head against his shoulder. Knowing that just Eddie was here made Richie feel better. But, he was so exhausted.

“Rich, can you please tell me what’s going on?” Eddie begged of him gently. He kissed his cheek. “You haven’t been acting like your usual juvenile self and I am worried.”

“You wouldn’t understand!” Richie’s voice shook right under Eddie.

Sitting down on the rock next to him, Eddie noted the dark sagging bags right under his eyes. The other night, Eddie was half asleep but he noticed that the other side of the bed was vacant. Now, he wished that he got up to inspect why the bathroom light was on. But, he fell back to sleep never knowing that Richie was struggling through panic attacks in the bathroom. Some boyfriend he was. And normally Eddie made sure that Myra was okay if she ever got up during the night.

“Please, you know you can talk to me about anything! Is there something that’s bothering you?” Eddie asked, leaning his head against his muscular shoulder and giving him a light massage. That always soothed Richie. This time it looked as if Richie were fighting not to fall asleep.

Richie sighed, his breath shaking, trying to get in control of himself. “Mike is so demanding!” 

“He was just asking to take over driving! You’ve been driving the whole time. Yesterday you almost drove us off the road!”

Richie stared hatefully at the ground, removing his glasses so he could wipe away the tears easier. Those glasses were lucky to last from the way Richie took care of them.

They stayed quiet, enjoying their needed solitude. It had been eight months since they became a couple. They had a first while during this little vacation. They missed each other even though they were together with the other Losers. There was no alone time. The lovers craved a moment where they could just sneak away and have some alone time, whatever they wanted to do. Steal a kiss, talk, or just be together. Eddie loved being with Richie.

“I’ve been having nightmares,” Richie admitted after heaving a breath to get himself together. Just like that all the weight and tension released from his body, leaning into Eddie’s shoulder.

“What? Richie, why haven’t you told me?” Eddie was not at all ashamed of his love, holding him tighter and kissing his cheek. His face was rough from not shaving. Richie looked so worn out from fighting his anxiety.

Finally, Richie broke down, now that he finally told the truth. Did he feel better? He wasn’t sure. Sleep was a major part of the factor in the problem. Rocking him, like a mother cradling her baby, Eddie shooshed him, pushing their faces together, and holding Richie. They stayed like this for some time, feeling comfort. 

“Do you want to tell me what your nightmares have been about?” Eddie gently asked. That’s what they did whenever one of them had a nightmare. Nightmares were the worst. But, you couldn’t stay quiet about them. 

Richie was so exhausted that he was ready to fall asleep right then and there on Eddie’s shoulder. Hopefully, he wouldn’t. How on earth would Eddie lug him back to the RV?

“That fucking clown!” Richie confessed gruffly. His whole face scrunched up in anger.

Taking a deep breath himself, Eddie squeezed his shoulder, trying to relax him. “You should have told me. Or any of us.”

“‘Cause we all want to forget! Who wants to remember h- IT? Fucking IT!” Richie pounded his fists against his knees which looked like it hurt. Grabbed hold of his arm and rubbing it in a light massage, Eddie softly smoothed his tangled hair as Richie hiccuped again.

“You know, if IT hadn’t come back then we wouldn’t be together now,” Eddie pointed out to him with a tender smile. 

Quiet, Richie leaned against Eddie’s shoulder, fighting himself to stay awake. “You don’t know what they were about,” Richie fought to disagree with him. He was not giving up this easily, even with how exhausted he was.

“Do you think you could tell me? Talking makes everything better. You know that for a fact, trashmouth!”

Richie laughed, but his eyes didn’t match how he was feeling. Placing his head into his hands and taking a deep breath, his whole body heaved a sigh. Eddie could just feel how tense he was, how much he was holding back.

“I keep dreaming about the fuckin’ clown ripping you apart! And I can’t do anything! You just bleed to death and I can’t do anything to help you! He laughed in my face because nobody will ever love me because of my dirty little secret! And the other times, h-he just taunts me killing you in different ways! It’s disgusting!” Richie’s voice rose at every second as he was slowly giving way to the tears. “And I can’t sleep! Yeah, I know I shouldn’t be embarrassed but we’ve been through enough! This trip is supposed to be fun! I don’t want to ruin everything! And I want you to have a good time! God, I’m just ruining everything!”

This was all so much to take in. Eddie calmed his boyfriend down making him pay attention to his breathing. Just like he did whenever Richie guided him through a panic attack. It was so hard without using his inhaler to make him breathe normally at first, but he did it. All because of Richie’s endless support. 

“Were you having any of these nightmares before the trip?” Eddie asked him. In no way was he ever going to sound disappointed with him. Richie was never disappointed in him.

Richie shook his head. Even that looked hard for him to do. All the energy left his eyes. It was sad to see him this way. “It started on this trip.”

“Triggers,” Eddie explained to him, wiping away the fallen tears under his eyes. “We haven’t been together in a while. And it’s stress.”

“I just want to sleep!” Richie confessed, gulping down the tears, roughly. 

Eddie held him closely, stroking his hair. “I want you to sleep, too. Let Mike drive. You and I can snuggle together in the bed. We won’t arrive at our destination in a couple of hours. Trust me, you won’t dream again as long as I am here.”

Richie couldn’t fight anymore. Agreeing, Eddie helped him stand and they walked back through the forest. Once they got back to the RV, Mike immediately got up and raced over to Richie. All the Losers crowded around Richie to make sure that he was okay.

“Rich, I’m so sorry that I snapped at you! I just never liked when people snap at me and-”

Putting his hand on Mike’s shoulder, cutting him off, Richie rubbed a tired hand against his face. “Mike, the wheel is yours.”

Surprised, the Losers looked at each other. That was easy. “Are you sure?”

Trudging his feet through the dirt and almost stumbling on the two steps to the RV, Eddie helped him inside. “I call dibs on the bed.”

Relief flowed through the group. Taking off down the roads, Richie fell right to sleep as Eddie cuddled against him. No more nightmares.


End file.
